I Will Never Hurt You
by Kelsiee
Summary: Ginny is heartbroken, and finds an ally in an unlikely person. Seemingly in the same boat, they form a plan. What if there was a way they could both get the ones they were in love with ?
1. Chapter 1

_**Disclamer:**_ **The Wounderful World Of Harry Potter Belongs To JK Rowling,**

* * *

It was an early start to winter, and the snow danced with a harsh rhythm. The cold temperature combined with the ruthless winds that whipped around the top of the astronomy tower, caused Ginny's face to freeze.

Yet none of that seemed to faze her.

Each tear that fell, served as a reminder of the boy who caused them.

Ginny cared for Dean, but the fights they had, were a recurring event. Today she caught Dean snogging Lavender Brown in a deserted hallway. Now Ginny was stuck with the hard decision of whether she should just end it, or hold on to what they had. Yet the decision gave way to the tears that fell freely, and the numbness that sprouted.

Ginny just caught her boyfriend cheating on her, and she didn't care.

Ginny had tried to feel at least half of what he felt for her, and perhaps Dean sensed her reluctance when it came to him. Perhaps that's what led him to the deserted hallway in the embrace of Lavender. Perhaps Dean knew what Ginny tried to hide – that he was a stand in for the secret love she had for Harry Potter.

Ginny did like Dean, and maybe if they talked about it they could work things out, but every time she tried, they just seemed to fight more.

By now her tears were falling quickly and freely, and she didn't bother to wipe them away. Instead, they just clung and froze against her face, as the wind violently raged against the thin cotton of her school robes. When she closed her eyes, she saw Dean with Lavender, she saw her classmate's sympathetic looks, and Hermione's knowing glances.

Then she remembered Parvati Patil's whispered gossip in the common room.

'_Apparently Harry's already asked someone to Slunghorn's Party, I heard that he has a girlfriend, that they're keeping it a secret.'_

As if the wind was channeling her mood, it gave her a strong shove, causing her to lose her footing. She reached out desperately into the air for something to grab hold of, but her hands grasped nothing but the empty icy air. She panicked as she began to fall over the edge, becoming dizzy as the bitter wind thrashed her tiny body.

Right was the darkness and the chill of the night started to consume her, she felt someone grab hold of her arms. Warmth and strength supported her body and pulled her back over.

Ginny fell against their chest panting, she became light-headed, as her body shook with the shock and the deep breaths she used to still the panic.

She felt a gentle hand on the small of her back, and the cold stone floor beneath her. She felt them shift behind her, and suddenly the wind became less harsh as a black cloak was wrapped around her. Turning around to thank her saviour, Ginny's eye's landed on a set of gray ones that weren't familiar. Blinking she looked into the face of Draco Malfoy.

"You're starring," Draco said simply as his lips curled into a smirk.

He frowned, as he slowly brought his hand up to brush against her cheek.  
"You're pale, almost blue," he said simply. "And you're frozen." He added, as he jerked his hand back from her face. "Why are you out here without a cloak?"

He opened his mouth as if to continue, and then paused, taking in her tear-streaked face, and her disordered hair. His mouth took the shape of a small O as he looked embarrassed.

"I'm, I'm s-sorry," Ginny added lamely.

Draco turned to look at her for a while before he spoke. "The weather is about to get a lot worse, you really shouldn't be out here, you should go back to your Common room." He said.

"No. I can't go there. I can't." Ginny paused, taking in the flicker of surprise that crossed Draco's face before he masked it. "I can't face them." Ginny added looking up to meet his eyes.

"You can't stay here you're frozen. How long have you been up here?"

"Since this afternoon," Ginny replied looked down at the frozen hands she could no longer feel.

Draco pressed his lips together, as his eyes took in her thin second hand school uniform.

"At lunch I..." Ginny couldn't finish, suddenly the image of Dean with his lips pressed against Lavender's was so real it filled the room, bringing more tears to her eyes with her guilt ridden thoughts.

"Come on then," Draco said quietly as he stood up, and reached out a hand.

When Ginny made no indication of having heard him, he slipped his arms around her waist and hauled her up.

As soon as Ginny stood up the room began to spin, and she felt herself wobble before Draco's strong arms wrapped around her once more. He led her towards the stairs leading down from the astronomy tower, and Ginny didn't protest.

It wasn't until she came around, when the wind no longer beat against her face and the slightly warmer halls calmed her, did she notice the familiar path.

"No I can't go to Gryffindor town, please." Ginny begged quietly.

"I know, it's okay." Draco whispered, as he led Ginny down an unfamiliar hall.

****;Ginny lay in large upholstery four-poster bed, with green sheets wrapped around her small shaking body.

Draco leaded against a fireplace across the room, watching the flames dance and flicker shadows along the wall.

Draco turned to look at Ginny's small fragile body shaking in the bed before speaking

"Are you still cold?"

"Freez-z-ing" Ginny managed to say.

"What happened?" Draco asked slowly, as he crossed the room and sat down beside her, his arm brushing hers.

"What do you mean?" Ginny asked, not looking up to meet his gaze.

"You were out there all afternoon, and you were…you looked like my mom does when my dad…what happened?" Draco finished, as he turned his gaze away from her and towards the fire.

Ginny sat there for a moment taking in Draco's tense posture.

"Dean he-," Ginny paused.

She felt Draco stiffen beside her.

"Did he hurt you?" Draco whispered, turning to face her.

Ginny knew she could tell him, the way he looked at her, there was no judgment in his gaze.

Ginny turned to him, and started from the beginning.

When she was done, Draco sat there in silence, looking at her in such an intense way that made Ginny realise how close he was.

"Lavender Brown?" Draco chuckled softly.

Ginny didn't say anything as she closed her eyes, maybe she had expected too much of him, after all this was Draco bloody Malfoy. Just when Ginny was about to pull away he continued his voice softening.

"Dean Thomas is a bigger idiot then I thought, if he cheated on you with Lavender Brown."

He reached over, awkwardly at first, the paused as if fighting an internal battle, and then he leaned in and warped his arms around her. At first Ginny was confused she opened her mouth to ask what he was doing, and then Ginny understood. He was hugging her.


	2. Chapter 2

Ginny woke up in the middle of the night in a sweat; rolling over, she froze. She was wrapped in the arms of Draco Malfoy, she untangled herself and sat up immediately.

A quick glace around the room showed Ginny that she was in his bedroom, closing her eyes the events of last night replayed in her mind. Ginny felt so stupid, she didn't cry over a boy, that wasn't her. She felt guilty over the relief she felt when she saw Dean kissing Lavender, but that guilt made her feel pathetic when she knew that Harry would never feel the same.

Growing up in a family with seven brothers, she learned quickly, she wasn't a flimsy girl; she was one of the guys. She would never let something like this get to her, she had done everything right, crying where no one would find her, crying where she wouldn't look weak, but then Draco Malfoy had appeared. Something occurred to Ginny then, why was Draco up there, at that hour in the freezing cold? Unless he had something to do, like Ginny had, that he didn't want anyone else to find out. Right then Ginny realised that maybe Draco wasn't as bad as everyone thought he was, maybe just like her, he put on a mask for everyone else. Right now that's what Ginny was hoping, because as of right now Draco knew her biggest secret.

Ginny quietly got out of bed, and tip toed across the room to the adjoining bathroom, closing the door behind her, Ginny looked into the mirror and sighed.

Her eyes were red and puffy from crying, she had dark purple bags under her eyes, and usual perfect red hair was a mess.

She spotted a comb on the sink and ran it through her hair, detangling it, and smoothing it as best as she could. She splashed some water on her face, and hoped that her eyes would revert to their normal state. Taking one last look at herself in the mirror, she crossed the huge bathroom and came to rest in front of the door. Ginny took a deep breath and slowly turned the door handle and stepped into the bedroom.

Sitting on the bed with his shirt all tangled, and his blonde hair mismatched from sleep, was Draco Malfoy. He was examining a plate stacked with toast, and it was then that Ginny realised how hungry she was.

At hearing her enter the room Draco lifted his gaze from the plate to across the room where Ginny was standing, his eyes slowly took her all in. For a minute Ginny could have sworn his jaw dropped, but she _definitely_ wasn't imagining the way he was checking her out.

A smile crossed Ginny's lips as she spoke.

"Now you're starring."

Ginny was seated, and munching on toast in silence, thankful for the fact that Draco didn't bring up the events of last night

"So I think I owe you a secret," Draco said not looking up to meet Ginny's eyes, as he helped himself to another piece of toast.

"Oh?"

"Yeah, I really don't think you go around crying and staving yourself on a daily bases." Draco said causally.

"Hmm," Ginny replied, tensing, not wanting to bring up the events of last night.

"Well, I'm not going to bother telling you not to repeat this red, because I presume you know perfectly well what the consequences are but, well I've never told anyone, so I might as well start with you, I'm in love with Granger." Draco said simply.

Ginny sat there shocked staring at him as snatched a piece of toast from the stack casually.

"You're starring," Draco said with a smirk.

"You're kidding right?" Ginny asked. There was no way that Draco Malfoy, pureblood, and someone who spent the last few years making fun of Hermione, could be in love with her.

Draco, smirked and began laughing, as he watched Ginny with her mouth wide open.

"Oh so you are kidding? She just happens to be one of my best friends and I don't appreciate you making a joke out of her." Ginny stammered frowning.

"Awh, come on I was kidding." Draco said lighting.

She was sitting here, in Draco Malfoy's room eating breakfast with him, and he was cracking jokes. If anyone had ever told her this would happen, she'd have had them shipped off to St. Mungo's.

"Trust me Ginny, I know she's not bad," Draco whispered more to himself then to her.

Ginny regarded his sad eyes for a moment, and recognized the expression all too well.

"You do like her, don't you?" Ginny asked again.

Draco picked at his crust for a moment before nodding his head, and meeting her gaze.

"Why don't you tell her?" Ginny asked.

"Why don't I tell her?" Draco repeated shocked. "I thought you were smarter than that red. In case you've forgotten I'm a Slytherin, and I' haven't be exactly civil to her in the past," he finished, taking a deep breath and looking away from Ginny.

Ginny nodded slowly, trying to make sense of things. She realized how similar their two situations were. She was finding comfort and understand from Draco Malfoy. She nearly laughed at the irony of the situation.

"Potter is dating Granger, and you love him, and I love her." Draco said, laughing harshly.

Ginny couldn't believe it, Harry and Hermione. Hermione was the only person Ginny had ever told about her feelings for Harry, and she was the one that encouraged Ginny to date Dean, telling her that he only thought of her as a sister, and that the best way to get over him and move on was to date other boys. Now however, knowing that they were dating, made Ginny second-guess everything Hermione had told her. Could it be that Harry liked her all along, and that Hermione just wanted him all to herself?

"Ginny?" Draco said softly.

"No, its okay, I should have guessed I mean she-" Ginny couldn't continue she felt crushed and betrayed.

"You didn't know," Draco muttered, under his breath. He lifted his hand as if to comfort her and bought it back down thinking better of it. 

"I have an idea," Draco said as he ripped up the last piece of toast in his lap.

Ginny looked over at him, as she watched his defeated expression, that mirrored hers exactly.

"Want to go out with me?" he asked, turning his attention to her.


	3. Chapter 3

"Are you sure I should do this?" Ginny asked Draco for the up tenth time on their walk to Professor McGonagall's office.

"I'm sure, but you really don't have to do it Ginny, it's not that big of a deal, I mean we'll see each other at lunch and in the halls…" Draco trailed off.

"Okay, it's okay I can do this." Ginny reassured herself, as they reached her office.

Draco nodded, looking just as nervous, as Ginny reached out and knocked on the door in front of them.

Professor McGonagall's voice trailed through the door, inventing them in and Ginny opened the door and stepped through the threshold, Draco right behind her.

Professor McGonagall's looked up, her eyebrows rising as she took in the two, she indicated to the empty seats across from her desk, and Ginny and Draco took a seat.

Professor McGonagall was dressed in Emerald green robes -which Ginny had always found a bit odd for someone who was head of Gryffindor. Her hair was tied up in a tight bun, and she wore a crooked witch's hat that sat tilted to one side at the top of her head. Her square glasses were tilted down on the tip of her nose, as she continued writing before putting her quill down and giving them her attention.

"Now Miss Weasley, I'm very glad and also _very_ surprised that you and Mr. Malfoy both sent me owls this morning asking for this test, although I have no doubt in my mind that you can complete it, or of course I wouldn't have invited you here, but I'm obliged to ask if you're sure you want to do this. You do realise that this means you will have to take potions at a sixth year level rather than a fifth, that you aren't getting a free period?" Professor McGonagall asked Ginny.

Ginny nodded slowly.

"Okay then," McGonagall flicked her wand and a stack of parchment appeared in her hand.  
"This is the written part of you examination, and you will complete your second part in Professor Slughorn's office once you are done. Now Ginny I don't want to put too much pressure on you, and you are more than welcome to refuse. But when I approached Professor Dumbledore with the idea of you moving up a level in potions, he agreed. However, you've always been the top of your class, and after meeting with your other Professor's, we came to the decision that, if you wish, you can move up to the sixth year completely. You would have to complete simple examinations for all of your fifth year classes, and we can arrange for you to take your OWLs tomorrow. You do understand that it is almost halfway through the year, so there will be material that hasn't covered, but-"

"Okay," Ginny said quickly.

"Okay? You're sure?" Professor McGonagall asked, searching her face, her eyes flicking momentarily to Draco who sat silently beside her.

"Okay then, I had all your teachers supply an examination just in case, and Dumbledore will have to inform you parents. If you pass, you will have to meet with your teachers today after dinner, to get filled in on everything you've missed. Where you can be assigned tutors if need be." McGonagall looked down on Ginny once again with a half-smile on her face this time.

"I can tutor her Professor, I received an O in everything but defence against the dark arts and care of magical creatures," Draco said, speaking for the first time.

Professor McGonagall turned her gaze to him for a moment, before folding her hand in her lap and smiling.

"Yes, I do recall that, it's not often a Slytherin receives all O's and two E's. You parents must have been proud Mr. Malfoy," Professor McGonagall smiled, slightly.

Ginny turned to face Draco, she had no idea that he scored nearly as well as Hermione- and she was the top of her class, maybe they had more in common than they thought.

"I'm very glad that you are in _Gryffindor_ Miss Weasley," Professor McGonagal added, before she flicked her wand and the small desk in the corner was stacked with examinations.

"Mr. Malfoy, if you would continue with your Saturday, I do believe you have Qudditch practice this afternoon- you'll need it if you plan on beating Gryffindor," she smirked, as she indicated for Ginny to take a seat and get to work.

******

"So she's going to owl you, when your results are in?" Draco asked, turning to face Ginny.

The two were sprawled on the floor in front of the fire in Draco's room. Ginny was twirling her hair nervously around her finger as she waited patiently for the results.

"But how will she know you're in here?" Draco asked suddenly, turning to face her.

"I told her I would be here," Ginny said.

"I bet she loved that." Draco smirked as he stood up and began pacing the room.

"Draco have you forgotten that _I_ am the one who took the examinations?" Ginny laughed. As Draco stopped his nervous pacing.

Draco blushed as sat back down beside her.

"I hope I passed," Ginny said quietly.

"Oh course you did," Draco reassured, meeting her gaze.

"Were you not the one pacing around the room nervously for about an hour before I convinced you to sit down? Only to get up once again and pace?" Ginny asked laughing.

"I've been on the receiving end of some of you spells, and trust me I've never seen a Bat-Bogey hex like yours. Obviously Professor Slughorn noticed if he invited you into his little club," Draco said laughing.

"Don't remind me," Ginny groaned once again remembering Parvati Patil's gossip.

The two sat in silence as they watched the flames flicker, both lost in thought. Now that the pressure of the examinations were lifted, she replayed their conversation from this morning.

Draco had proposed that the best way to get the ones they were really in love with was to 'pretend to date'. It was so simple, Harry hated Draco, and once he and everyone in the school saw that Ginny and him were dating they would begin to talk. Harry would instantly become jealous and spend more time around her, convincing her along with her brother not to date him. The more time Harry spent keeping Ginny away from Draco, the less time he would have for Hermione. It seemed foolish when it was mapped out in her head, but Draco had made a very convincing case this morning.

Ginny was pulled out of her thoughts when she heard scratching on the window. They both jumped, and Draco raced to the window when he spotted a barn owl waiting outside.

Draco threw the hatch open and pushed out the window, letting the freezing cold air enter the room. The owl flew in and stopped in front of Ginny with its leg held out. Ginny quickly untied to letter and watched as the owl flew out the window and Draco latched it behind it.

"Well are you going to open it?" Draco asked, excited.  
Ginny didn't wait another minute to open the letter and she ripped it open.

_Miss Weasley,__  
__I am pleased to inform you that you have passed all your examinations excellently. If you could come to my office tonight we can brief you on your OWL testing that has been arranged for tomorrow. Based on your marks your schedule will be made.__  
__Congratulations  
Professor McGonagall.  
_


	4. Chapter 4

"I can't believe they actually let you be my tutor!" Ginny exclaimed as she and Draco walked down the hall after receiving her OWL results.

"Well I thought it was obvious," Draco said as he walked along side Ginny in the hall.

"Oh really and why is that?" Ginny asked giggling.

"Well naturally, she's attracted to my good looks. Although I must admit even she is too old for my taste," Draco said smugly.

"Oh I'm sure it had nothing to do with the fact that I refused to stay in the meeting if you weren't allowed to," Ginny said shooting Draco a smug look that made him chuckle.

"Well at least it will help our image at any rate," Draco sighed, as he and Ginny approached the heads dorm. Draco said the password and put his hand on the small of Ginny's pack to push her through the door.

"Do you think it'll be hard catching up?" Ginny asked biting her bottom lip.

"I think you can handle it. I have to go meet Blaise, did you want me to walk you back to Gryffindor tower?" Draco asked as he took a seat on the couch in the small common room.

Ginny sat down beside Draco on and gazed into the fire before she spoke.

"Can I wait here for a bit?" she asked.

"Of course," he grinned, as he stood up, and left, on route to the dungeons to meet his friend.

Ginny sat on the couch and looked at the parchment clutched in her hand

Astronomy: E  
Care of Magical Creatures: O  
Charms: O  
Defence Against the Dark Arts: O  
Ancient Runes: A  
Herbology: A  
History of Magic: A  
Potions: O  
Transfiguration: O

Her mother would be so proud, Percy had gotten 3 O's when he had received his OWLs, her mother would be thrilled with her results. Ginny decided to head back to her own common room to send her parents an owl.

***  
Ginny was surprised she hadn't crossed paths with her friends or Harry yet, her and Draco were walking to class when Ginny stopped. Draco kept walking assuring her she'd do great when he realized he was talking to himself he doubled back.

"What's wrong?" Draco asked.

"Maybe this isn't such a good idea." Ginny stammered, as she adjusted her bag, and starred at Draco with large frightened eyes.

"Hey don't worry," Draco smiled as he held out his hand for her.

"You ready?" Draco whispered as they arrived in front of the defence against the dark arts class.

Ginny could already hear the voices of the students drifting from the classroom, and Ginny grew weary.

"Mr. Malfoy, Miss Weasly, do you plan on joining us, or would you rather linger in the hallway and join me after for detention?" Proffesor Snape called, as he walked into the room.

How he knew they were there when he hadn't glanced in their direction, Ginny was unsure, but she let Draco guide her into the classroom and to a seat across the room that a dark boy occupied.

Whispers filled the classroom, but once look from Snape silenced the class, as he began talking, Ginny saw Harry, Ron and Hermione starring at her from the back of the classroom, but kept her eyes glued on Snape.

"I would say I hope you have a perfectly good reason for being late. But by your present company I would say you have more than a perfect reason," the boy chuckled, from beside Draco

"Blaise, I think you know Ginny," Draco grinned indicating to Ginny on the other side of him.

Ginny tore her attention away from Snape and looked over at Blaise. She had seen him around Hogwarts, with the other Slytherin's. He was tall, with dark skin, and his hair was cropped short, that framed his jaw nicely.

"Ginny," Blaise grinned, with just a hint of Italian as he winked in her directions,

Ginny blushed as she smiled, before looking away, and returning her attention to the lesson.

"This is exactly why I didn't let you too meet, I don't want you stealing my girlfriend," Draco said playfully smirking at Blaise.

Ginny thought the whispering had died down before, but now the classroom grew completely silent. Snape's drowning voice seemed far away, as all the eyes in the room landed on the threesome sitting at the front.

Blaise raised an eyebrow slightly at Draco referring to Ginny as his girlfriend, and his eyes flicked to her for merely a second then he continued their whispered conversation, as if the news wasn't shocking.

"Mr. Malfoy, although I'm sure Mr. Zabini is thrilled to hear about your love life, this is my classroom and I'd ask that you stop talking and pay attention," Snape called from the front of the class, his eyes landing on Ginny.

The rest of the class passed in silence, and the two classes after passed in much the same way, the whispers and the stares seemed to follow the couple around.

Draco and Ginny made plans to meet for lunch, but Ginny was too hungry to wait for him. By now, the whole school had heard of the new couple, and Ginny's transfer to sixth year, and she wanted to escape in the familiar sea of Gryffindor's.

Walking into the Great Hall, Ginny felt more eyes on her then she had felt walking through the halls at school, she hurried down the aisle and slipped onto the bench, her head bent low as she loaded her plate.

"Ginevra Weasley! What exactly do you think you're doing with the slimy git Malfoy!" Ron shouted as he got up and moved down the table to where she was seated.

Ginny felt her face grow hot as she looked up to see Ron, Harry and Hermione following close behind him.

"Ron I-"

"Do you want me to write mum and tell her that you've lost it? Merlyn Ginny what were you thinking? I heard you were in his room all weekend? Do you want people to think you're a scarlet woman?!" He continued, his voice raising.

But now they had the attention of the whole hall, and Ron didn't seem to care, his face turning as red as his hair.

"Ron, there's probably an explanation for it," Hermione said calmly, as she reached out, putting her hand on his arm, trying to calm him down.

"An explanation, you heard the bloody git in potions class!" Ron yelled turning on Hermione.

"Well we haven't even congratulated her on taking her owls and pumping up to 6th year, it must have been a lot of work,-" Hermione's voice was low as she soothed Ron.

"You can't possibly be Malfoy's girlfriend," Harry said, taking a step towards her, as he searched her face.

Ginny's heart beat faster, as she saw the concern on Harry's face, she opened her mouth ready to tell him it was all a lie, that she was really in love with him, when they were interrupted.

"Ginny!"

Ginny didn't have to turn to know whose voice that was, she could still hear him calling her name that day in the deserted corridor.

If Ginny thought they had the attention of the hall before, it was nothing compared to the silence that rang through it now, as everyone strained to hear Dean Thomas.

Dean walked across the hall, and stopped beside Harry.

"Ginny where have you been, I heard a rumour that you and Malfoy- I haven't see you since-"

"Since when?" Ginny asked, cutting him off. "Since I saw you snogging Lavender Brown, and don't tell me she threw herself at you, because I'm getting tired of hearing that," Ginny sighed, keeping her voice surprisingly level.

"Ginny, I didn't mean-"

"You what?" Ron roared, turning on Dean now.

"Ginny it was an accident," Dean said, awkwardly, all eyes in the hall on him.

"Which time?" Ginny responded, asking what she had suspected all along.

Dean's face grew red, and he fidgeted in his spot, confirming what Ginny had guessed all along. Maybe Ginny hadn't loved him, but she really did like him, blinking back tears she looked up to meet his gaze.

"We're done Dean," Ginny sighed, closing her eyes.

"I cheated on you, and you cheated on me, we're even now, Dean smiled smugly as he folded his hands across his chest. "There's no need to be dramatic," he added.

"I never cheated on you," Ginny replied, trying to control her anger and her tears.

"I told you she threw herself at me, why aren't you listening to me. And maybe if you'd put out I wouldn't be so slow to shove her off!" Dean yelled.

Ginny stood up from the bench, her jaw hanging open. His words stung more than the sight of seeing him with Lavender. She raised her wand, ready to show him exactly what she thought of him now, when a warm hand on her shoulder stopped her.

"Allow me Ginny," Draco's voice came from behind her.  
Ginny slowly lowered her wand expecting Draco to raise his, but instead her pulled her to face him by her hips, and lightly tilted her chin up with his finger. He held her gaze for only a second before he brought his lips down to hers and kissed her. The kissed only lasted for a few moments before Draco pulled away and punched Dean in the face.

If the hall was quiet before, the explosion of conversation was just as loud as Ron shouted at Dean, and Harry tried to control his two classmates.

Draco took Ginny's hand and led her out of the great hall, and into the deserted corridor.

"Are you okay?" He asked, as they slid down the wall, taking a seat on the floor.

"Yeah, I just didn't realise how much of a jerk he was," Ginny responded.

"Yeah, I would have loved to hex him, but the look on your brother's face? I figured I'd save him the honours." Draco said smirking.

There were hesitant footsteps from down the hall, and Ginny looked up and spotted Hermonie as she came to a stop twisting her hands nervously.

"Ginny I am so sorry about Dean," Hermione said quietly as she flicked her gaze to Draco.

Draco looked between the two friends and rose, giving Ginny a small smile before he disappeared into the hall to give the two friends some privacy.

Hermione slid down the wall, filing Draco's empty spot

"I never should have encouraged you to date him, if I knew that's how he would have treated you," she said, as she wrapped her arms around Ginny.

"I'm proud of you for standing your ground though," she added as she pulled away.

"Do you really like Draco?" Hermione asked after a moment of silence.

Ginny looked at Hermione from the corner of her eye, Hermione's question had taken her by surprise. Yet although Hermione tried to seem uninterested, she could tell she was holding her breath waiting for the answer, perhaps Draco's plan was working after all.

"I think so," Ginny replied, turning to look at her friend.

"Then I'm happy for you," she grinned, as she stood up brushing off her skirt.

"Should we go finish lunch before class?" Hermione asked.

"Sure," Ginny grinned as she let Hermione pull her up and lead her into the hall.

The two girls sat down beside Harry and Ron – who still looked upset.

"I can't believe I let that git date my sister," Ron whispered harshly to Harry as he glared at Dean, who sat further down the table being fussed over by Lavender and Parvati Patil

"Ron," Hermione scolded, as she indicated to Ginny, who was pushing her potatoes around on her plate.

Ron took the hint and shut his mouth although he didn't seem happy about it, as he aggressively shoved chicken in his mouth.

"So, Draco Malfoy?" Harry whispered, from where he sat beside her.

"I'm happy for her," Hermione said, giving Harry a pointed look.

"Are you encouraging my sister and the bloody git Malfoy?" Ron asked, as chicken spewed from his mouth.

"Ron, why don't we discuss it later," Hermione offered, handing him a napkin.

"Discuss it later?" he questioned, shocked. "As if the matter is up for discussion, no it isn't. I forbid it Ginny," Ron finished smugly as he grabbed the napkin from Hermione's outstretched hand.

"I think, I'm just going to go to class," Ginny said pushing her plate away as she stood up from the bench.

"Wait Ginny! Let me go with you," Harry said slipping out of the bench.

"No you have herbology, Harry. Ginny has ancient runes, I'll go with her," Hermione said matter of factly, rising from the table.

As the two girls took off in the direction of the ancient ruins classroom, Ginny couldn't help wondering how Hermione knew she chose to continue in ancient ruins and not herbology.


	5. Chapter 5

"So she seemed like she cared? Or was she trying to make conversation?" Draco asked for the sixth time.

They were standing near the back of the classroom in Transfiguration. Ginny was paired with Draco and they were supposed to be practising nonverbal spells.

"I don't know," Ginny replied exasperated. Ginny had just finished telling Draco about her conversation with Hermione, and Draco immediately launched into questions.

"So tell me exactly what she said again?" Draco asked.

"Draco," Ginny groaned, waving her wand a little too aggressively and causing his hair to turn pink.

"I do believe than non-verbal spells require no talking," Professor Snape said.

Ginny resisted the urge to snap back, it was bad enough she had a double potions with Snape this morning, but because McGonagall had a meeting she now finished the day with him teaching Transfiguration.

"Five points from Gryffindor," Snape smirked as he regarded Ginny and Draco.

"That's not fair, Malfoy was talking to!" Harry protested from across the room.

"And so Mr. Potter, are you. Twenty points for Gryffindor, and don't question my authority again."

Draco smirked as he looked at Ginny.

"Whatever, shove it Malfoy. It's my turn, I'm going to try and disarm you," Ginny said focusing.

"Okay time is up I want everyone to switch partners," Snape's voice rang out from the front of the classroom. "Boys moving clockwise," Snape added when he saw Harry and Ron both racing for Ginny.

"So much for that," Draco laughed as he went to move, when Ginny stiffened. "Hey what's wrong?" Draco asked concerned, as he placed a hand on her arm.

"It could be the fact that you have your hand on my girlfriend," Dean's voice rang from over Draco's shoulder.

"She is no longer your girlfriend Thomas," Draco said as he stepped protectively in front of Ginny.

"Is there a problem here?" Snape asked, bored, as he appeared beside Dean.

"No, Professor," Draco said smiling.

"Well that I take it you will have no trouble finding your partner Mr. Thomas, and get back to work," Snape said coldly.

"Ginny is my partner," Dean responded, shooting Draco a smug look.

"Well than, since the three of you seem content to stand around and talk during my class, I am no doubt sure, that you will have no trouble demonstrating a simple non-verbal disarming spell," Snape pronounced, with a fait smile.

"Of course," Draco said smirking as he pulled out his wand.

"Actually Mr. Malfoy, I think since Miss Weasley seems to be the constant in this problem that we will let her and Mr. Thomas demonstrates." He stated, as he backed up to give them room, with the rest of the class gathering around and following his lead.

"Sorry," Draco whispered as he stepped back to give them room.

Ginny stared straight ahead at Dean. How she would love more than anything just to send a bat-bogey hex. It would make up for a small part of all the tears she was holding back from his outburst at lunch, and to let off her annoyance from Draco's constant interrogation for the last half hour.

"You may begin," Snape voice trailed from side of the room.

They both raised there wands, and Dean's face begun to turn a faint shade of red, as he focused on his spell. Ginny tried to focus on disarming him, but the longer she starred across the room at him, the more she wished she could just hex him.

Before she really had time to think, Dean screeched as large black bats begain to fly out of his noise and flap around his face.

Most of the class laugh and a few people clapped, and Ginny just stood there shocked as Lavender ran up to help Dean.

"Five points from Gryffindor. You were supposed to do a non-verbal disarming charm Miss Weasley. Not a non-verbal bat-bogey hex," Snape said, as he turned to head to the front of the class, to write the homework on the board, Ginny swore she saw him smirking.

Ginny stood there still in shock with the fact that she had done a non-verbal spell when Hermione ran up to her and gave her a hug.

"I'm so proud of you Ginny. But how did you do it? It took me a while before I could even get a faint sign of my disarming charm," Hermione asked excited.

"Yeah, you put Dean in his place," Harry said meeting her gaze.

Ginny was sure that Harry was going to give her a hug when Draco came up from behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Good job, I hope that made you feel better," Draco mumbled.

Ginny turned to say something to Harry, only to notice that he was gone. Ginny sighed and walked back to her seat with Draco to copy down the homework. The whole time Ginny couldn't help think that Draco seemed more set on getting himself and Hermione together rather than her and Harry.

"Mate looks like I can come to Whiltshire for the holiday after all," Blaise said, clapping Draco on the back as they wrote down the homework.

"Excellent," Draco grinned.

Dean ran out of the class as soon as the bell went, covering his nose as the bats circled his head, Lavender close on his heels.

Hexing Dean had raised her spirits considerably, and she exited the class with a spring in her step.


	6. Chapter 6

It had already been two weeks, and Draco and Ginny still couldn't walk hand in hand down the hall, without collecting the gaze of most of the students.

"See you in class," Draco whispered planting a kiss on Ginny's cheek before they parted ways, him to the right, towards the Slytherin table, and her the left towards the Gryffindor's.

"Ginny do you want to study for ancient runes together during your free period?" Hermione asked, as soon as Ginny sat down.

"Sure," Ginny grinned, loading her plate with eggs, making a mental note to mention it to Draco, so that he could casually run into them at the library.

"Great," Hermione replied, turning the page in the prophet.

"Any news?" Harry asked, as he and Ron arrived, taking a seat next to Hermione.

"Hmm?" Hermione responded, not looking up from her paper.

"In the prophet, any activity?" he propped his voice lowering.

"There were a few death eater raids near London, and reports of suspicious behavior near Wiltshire," Hermione responded sadly, closing the paper and handing it off to Harry.

Harry gingerly took it, opening it up and loosing himself in news of Voldemort.

Ginny finished her eggs in silence, after Harry scanned the paper he Ron and Hermione carried on a whispered conversation that didn't include her, and barely took notice when she got up and left, ready to meet Draco for Transfiguration.

There was something about their conversation that tugged at something in her mind, something familiar that Ginny couldn't seem to place.

Ginny and Draco walked hand in hand in silence as the headed to Transfiguration, Draco seemed to realize Ginny was lost in thought and resolved not to interrupt her.

When they reached the Transfiguration classroom, they lingered outside the door, waiting along with the rest of the students for Professor McGonagall to arrive.

"Could you stop starring Weasley," Pansy's shrill voice called.

Ginny didn't seem to hear her, as she starred off into space.

"Oi, Weasley, I'm talking to you," Pansy said, walking towards Ginny.

Ginny was taken by surprise as she regarded the short haired girl in front of her.

Ginny tensed and looked up at Draco and back towards the angry Slytherin standing across from her.

"Excuse me?" Ginny asked, confused.

"What are you deaf as well?" Pansy asked, placing her hands on her hips, as the Slytherin's behind her snickered.

"I'm confused," Ginny responded, her eyebrows scrunching up, as she looked at Pansy baffled.

"Obviously if you think Draco-"

"Oh shut up Pansy," Draco cut in, "Jealous because I've finally found someone worth my time?" Draco's voice rang out across all the murmurs of people who had stopped to watch the encounter before heading off to their classes.

"You're kidding right, she's a blood traitor and a slut," Pansy responded, rolling her eyes.

"Don't you dare-" Draco responded, his hand reaching for his wand.

"Don't mate, she's not worth the detention," Blaise's voice said softly, as he appeared behind his friend, placing a hand on Draco's shoulder.

"She's not worth anything actually," Draco said as his hand came to rest by his side.

Just then, Professor McGonagall opened the classroom door, and Draco grabbed Ginny's hand and pulled her into the classroom behind him.

Draco led Ginny to a table at the back, Blaise following behind them silently.

When class started McGonagall asked someone from each table to come up and get bunnies as they were going to use a colour changing spell to change the bunny yellow.

Draco went up, still in a sour mood as he kicked Pansy's bag on his way by her table.

"He really likes you," Blaise said as he reached down to grab his bag from under his seat.

"What?" Ginny asked not sure if she had heard him correctly.

"Draco, he really like you, he wouldn't have defended you if he hadn't," Blaise stated.

"It's complicated," Ginny sighed, wishing for a little while that it really wasn't.

"Only because you've both made it complicated. I've known Draco since we were little. He's my best mate, I know when he's pretending," Blaise said as he stood up. "And he's not," he added whispering.

Draco walked over carrying three rabbits with a curious expression on his face. Blaise grabbed a rabbit with a small smile and a nod, amd he walked off across the room to sit with another Slytherin boy.

"What was that all about?" Draco asked raising an eyebrow as he handed Ginny her rabbit.

"I honestly don't know," Ginny sighed.

***  
"Ginny, are you even paying attention?" Hermione whispered, from where she sat across from Ginny at a table near the back of the library.

"I'm sorry, I've just got a lot on my mind," Ginny sighed dropping her quill and rubbing her temples.

"I can tell," Hermione smiled slightly, putting down the textbook.

"Maybe we can finish the essay tomorrow?" Ginny asked.

"Sure, maybe you should go lay down, you still have a little over an hour before Charms class," Hermione offered, looking at her friend with concern.

"Draco was going to meet me here," Ginny said, remembering she told Draco to find an excuse to 'casually' run into the pair. "If he comes, can you let him now I'll meet him in class?" Ginny asked, packing away her books.

"Sure," Hermione smiled. "You two have been getting awfully close," Hermione grinned, gazing over at her.

"Well he is my boyfriend," Ginny responded.

"It seems like it's more than that," Hermione pressed.

Ginny shrugged her shoulders, as she contained her smile at Hermione's interest.

"Don't forget to tell Draco," Ginny reminded, throwing her back over her shoulder.

"Of course," Hermione agreed smiling as she watched her friend leave the library.

Ginny headed towards Gryffindor tower, and crawled under the soft sheets of her four-posted bed.

Ginny still couldn't shake the trios conversation from this morning, something Hermione had said sounded so familiar. She closed her eyes as she laid her head down on her pillow, and before she knew it she was sound asleep

_"__Ginny, did you honestly believe that I could forget you?" Tom's asked, as he stood in front of her in the Chamber of Secrets._

_He took a step closer, his dark hair brushed to the side so that his dark eyes shined. Despite how dirty the chamber was, Tom's robes remained clean and dry._

_"__No," Ginny said with a smile. She had longed for this day when Tom would return telling her she had no choice but to leave her and how he regretted it._

_"__Then you are far more pathetic then when I last saw you! Being amongst muggles and mudbloods and weakened your pathetic emotions. Because you are just that Ginny weak!" Tom spat, his dark eyes turning red._

_Ginny took a step back, finally seeing Tom for what he really was. Gone was his silky locks of black hair, and his kind brown eyes. In their place were lifeless eyes, eyes that were darker than the blood on the floor. Looking down again she saw in horror that the blood was dripping from claw marks on her arms._

_Tom's lifeless laugh rang through the Chamber._

_"__You are weak Ginny Weasley, and such a shame to waist your blood, when there are so few pure bloods left," Tom stepped closer to her, and gave her a sympathetic smile that never reached the laughter in his eyes._

_"__No," Ginny said taking another step back._

_"__There is still a chance for you Ginevra, your time will come when you will fight for what is right along my side," Tom said as he closed the space between them, stroking her cheek causing her face to burn._

_Ginny recoiled in disgust._

"_Y__ou will join me Ginevra it is your destiny," Tom whisped, with a smile as he raised his wand._

Ginny sat up in a cold sweat and glanced around the room. Looking over at the clock on her nightstand she could see that it was well past midnight and all the other girls were asleep soundlessly in their beds. But even with five other girls in her dorm, Ginny didn't feel safe. Hopping out of bed, her school robes a tangled mess, Ginny slipped her feet into shoes as she dashed out of the room, and towards the one person who could make her safe, and it didn't matter that it was past curfew, she would do anything to see him.


	7. Chapter 7

Ginny was running down the hall towards the head boy and girls private chambers. The only sound was the smacking of her shoes against the cold stone floor. Ginny was usually a ration person, running down the deserted corridors way past curfew in a frantic state wasn't rational. Yet neither was dreaming of Tom Riddle, a dream that seemed too real, when her cheek still burned from his touch.

Finally reaching the entrance to the heads dorm, Ginny frantically said the password, and the door swung open. She had expected the small common room to be deserted, but instead Hermione stood in front of her wearing a set of very short shorts and tank top PJ's. Something Ginny was sure that she had never even seen on Hermione before.

" Ginny?" Hermione asked, turning around when she saw the door open.

"I-"Ginny started but was cut off by Harry.

"Ginny?" Harry asked, stepping into the light of the fire.

Ginny turned to see Harry in nothing but boxer shorts starring at her with his mouth hanging open.

"Ginny, is that blood?" Harry asked again, walking towards her.

"Ginny?" Hermione screeched as she grabbed hold of Ginny's shoulders.

"Mionie, calm down. Ginny you're all pale what happened?" Harry asked his voice just as loud, as he approaching her.

"That's blood, Ginny you're bleeding? Harry look at her arms!" Hermione cried looking back and forth from Ginny to Harry.

"Granger I told you, if you and Potter were going to continue your late night role plays to please-"Draco stopped when he saw the sight Of Ginny.

"Malfoy can't you see-"Harry started but was cut off by Draco.

"Ginny, what's wrong?" Draco asked quietly, crossing the room in a few strides.

"Nothing that involves you Malfoy, as you can see we have it under control," Harry replied, turning to Draco.

Ginny looked down at her arms, they were indeed covered in scratches, as if she had scratched them raw in her sleep. There was no way they had caused the pools of blood in her dream, but if it had only been a dream, why was she bleeding?

Ginny froze instantly remembering Tom's voice.

"Granger take your hands off my girlfriend this instant and Potter move out of the way I don't want to hex you," Draco said as he pushed Hermione roughly aside and brushed the hair out of Ginny's face.

"Gin, love look at me what's wrong?" Draco whispered softly, frantically searching her face.

Ginny looked at him, as if being pulled from a dream, and instantly fell into his embrace crying. Draco effortlessly scooped Ginny up, as if she was a feather and slowly carried her off into his room.

"And where do you think you're going with her Malfoy?!" Harry roared as he followed closely behind them.

"Harry don't," Hermione said, sensing that Ginny came here for Draco and not her.

Draco placed Ginny on the safety of his bed, as he pulled the top sheet from the bed and wrapped it around her.

"Ginny, what happened?" Draco asked softly.

"I had a bad dream," Ginny answered.

She felt Draco stiffen as he pulled her closer. Draco knew her well enough to know that Ginny wouldn't have come crying in the middle of the night over just any bad dream.

Draco didn't say anything, he just held her in her arms as she cried into his chest.

After a while, Ginny pulled away slightly and mumbled something into the sheets.

"What's that?" Draco asked gently.

"I'm sorry I'm such a mess," Ginny breathed, looking up to meet his gaze.

"Ginny, don't you ever apologize for needing me," Draco said, wiping the tears from her cheeks gently.

"In my first year," Ginny, started, looking away from Draco and into the bright flames of the fire, "I- well I'm sure you know what happened. I didn't mean to open the chamber, but Tom he-"

She felt Draco's body shift and he lifted up her chin so he could look her in the eyes.

"Gin, it's okay, I understand," Draco whispered as he brushed her hair out of her eyes.

"No, nobody knows. I used to dream of him, I would feel like he's still here, I just wanted my friend back. I was devastated when the dreams stopped; it meant he was gone forever. Then I'd wake up and I'd feel so dirty, the things he made me feel – a thirst for power, I liked it, and that scares me," Ginny said as her eyes watered.

"And that's what happened tonight?" Draco pressed.

Ginny nodded, replaying her dream aloud for him.

Draco didn't say anything for a moment, and Ginny felt as if confiding in him was a mistake, and that maybe she was wrong in thinking she had found safety with him.

"Does it hurt?" Draco asked, breaking the silence.

Ginny turned to look up at him, and Draco picked up her arm, and cradled it gently in his hand.

"I scratched myself in my sleep," Ginny said biting her bottom lip in embarrassment.

"This deep?" Draco asked astonished.

"I guess," Ginny said glancing up at him.

"I didn't know you did that," Draco said quietly with a chuckle.

"I don't," Ginny said with a small frown, "well at least I never have before."

Draco pursed his lips and nodded.

"My father gave you the diary didn't he?" Draco asked, taking Ginny by surprise.

Ginny nodded, biting her lip she had never liked Mr. Malfoy, just as Mr. Malfoy had never liked her family, she had always transferred her dislike of Mr. Malfoy onto the rest of his family, and suddenly she felt guilty.

"Do you want me to fix that for you?" Draco asked.

"What?" Ginny replied looking confused.

"Your arm, do you want me to fix them?" Draco asked as he slowly ran a finger of one of her cuts.

Ginny nodded, rolling up both sleeves, and holding out her arms for him,

"Vulnera Sanentur," Draco whispered as he moved his wand over her arms.

Ginny watched as her deep gashes slowly sealed up. When they were finished, Draco carefully traced her arm where the gashes once were.

"How did you learn to heal cuts that way?" asked as she watched Draco's fingers trace her bare arms.

He mother had tried healing scrapes on her brothers when they were younger and running off picking fights with the gnomes, but even then, her mother could never perfect the spell, and her brothers were left with faint scars.

"I've had a lot of practise," Draco said drying, as he got up and crossed the room, pulling out a shirt from his drawer.

"You can stay here tonight, if you like," Draco said handing Ginny the shirt, and moving towards to fire to give her privacy while she changed out of her stained school robes.

Ginny cleared her throat, signaling to Draco that she was done changing.

"You can sleep in here tonight, and I'll sleep on the couch," Draco said, without meeting her eyes as he turned to leave.

"You don't have to," Ginny said, the room suddenly seeming so large.

The prospect of being alone, when Tom was waiting for her as soon as her eyes were closed, sent chills down her spine.

"Please," Ginny said, not meeting her gaze, as she tightened the blankets around her.

Draco just nodded as he crawled back into bed, sitting on the other side of the bed.

"Draco-"

"I'm sorry," Draco said, turning and grabbing Ginny's hand.

"For what?" Ginny asked.

"For my father, that he gave you that diary," he sighed, "that any of this is happening to you," he said gesturing to his now bear arms.

"It's not your fault," Ginny reassured him.

"I hate him," Draco said slowly.

"Living in the huge Malfoy Manor isn't much fun when you're banned from almost every wing. When I was little my father used to get mad over everything, and when I was eight I was curious as to what my father always did in his study. My mother was always sad; I thought it was because my father spent long nights out and long nights in his study. I wanted to make my mother happy, I wanted more than anything to make her happy," Draco laughed drying, the sound never reaching his eyes. "So one night, I snuck into my father's study. I planned to do some of his work for him so he wouldn't be working so much. I was eight I thought I could do anything," Draco added, pulling violently on a loose thread on the sheets. "But when I walked in he was torturing this boy for the whereabouts of his father. The boy wasn't that old, only fifteen at the most. I ran in and told my father to stop. He was furious sent a house elf to bring me to my room. I waited for what seemed like hours until my father returned with his cane. That was the first time he had ever beat me. It most certainly wasn't the last," Draco chocked, trying to hold back tears.

"What about your mother?" Ginny gasped shocked.

"When I fall asleep it isn't the boy's eyes I see, it's the eyes of my mother when she passed my room that night. It's her eye so full of tears so full of fear that stay with me. That's when I realised she wasn't happy when my father was home she was scared, and it was so easy to see under her fake smile. The smile I couldn't see through when I was a little eight year old boy." Draco finished looking down at their hands.

Ginny didn't say anything. She just sat there in shock. Shock over the fact that a _father,_ someone who was supposed to be there for his child could do something like that. Shock and shame that she had once judged Draco at all.

She shifted over on the bed and wrapped her arms around him.

And that's how the two fell asleep that night, as the fire died out, in the safety and comfort of each other's arms.


	8. Chapter 8

Ginny woke up the next morning in confusion. She rolled over and realized that the room she was in was not her dormitory. She sat up quickly, as the events from last night replayed in her head and she blushed. The fact that she raged in here last, night like a man woman, and saw the boy she was supposed to be in love with having a slumber party with one of her best friends didn't seem to faze her. In fact, it barely stung at all, instead the only though that pressed down in her mind, was Draco.

Ginny looked over at the rumpled sheets on the other side of the bed and sighed, if Draco was already gone that meant he went to Care of Magical Creatures. Which meant, that although she didn't have a morning class, she would have potions soon, and since she obviously overslept her last class yesterday she needed to make an appearance in this one.

Just when Ginny was debating going back to her room to change before class Draco's door opened up and Blaise walked in.

Ginny panicked, pulling the covers up to her chin, when she watched him walk in.

"Well you and Draco got domestic pretty quickly," Blaise chuckled raising an eyebrow.

Ginny's face grew hot, when she realized what Blaise must have been thinking.

"It's-"

"I know it's complicated-" Blaise finished rolling his eyes.

Ginny didn't say anything, as they both stood in silence.

"Well unless you plan on skipping and driving Draco complete insane again, I suggest you get dressed," Blaise said, breaking the silence.

He turned to leave, then stopped and threw some clean clothes at her.

"They're Granger's," he added, before he left to give her some privacy.

Ginny changed into Hermione's clean robes, kicked her dirty ones across the room, and ran a comb through her hair before she stepped into the common room.

To her surprise, Blaise was sitting there on the small couch waiting.

"Took you long enough," he greeted without looking up.

Although Blaise was Draco's best friend, she still felt uneasy around him.

"Figured you might want to grab something to eat before class, since you missed dinner," he said, standing up from the couch, and brushing off his robes.

Ginny's stomach grumbled at the mention of food, and she finally realized just how hungry she was.

They exited the head dorm together, Blaise filling the walk with mindless chatter. When they reached the corridor leading to the great hall Ginny recognized the high-pitched voice of Pansy Parkinson.

"It's kind of sad actually, that the Weasley girl believes him," Pansy laughed.

"What do you mean?" a second voice asked, curious.

"Well Draco made up this excuse to get her to date him, we're all just waiting for him to sleep with her, it's all in good fun," Pansy laughed.

"And Weasley thinks he actually likes her?" a third voice asked.

"Yea, how pathetic is that?" Pansy mocked.

Ginny heard the footsteps trek down the hall, and Ginny stood frozen in place.

"Ginny-" Blaise said, reaching out for her, not doubt having overheard Pansy's gossip.

"What ever, it's complicated right?" Ginny asked, blinking hard to stop her eyes from watering.  
"I'm suddenly not so hungry anymore, let's just go to potions," Ginny responded, turning down the hall and heading to class, Blaise right behind her.

Ginny had been pretending to date Draco for weeks now, and somehow she had forgotten that it was all just an act. Draco didn't really care about her; he was using her for Hermione. She had been stupid to think it was anything more.

When Ginny and Blaise entered the class Draco was at the front talking in whispered tones with Professor Slughorn, and Ginny crossed the room and sat down beside Blaise.

"Oi, mate I thought we were partners?" Pike asked, regarding Ginny sitting beside his housemate.

"Sorry Pike, I'm having trouble and Ginny got an O in potions and Slughorn asked us to switch for today," Blaise said effortlessly, as he pointed to Draco and Professor Slughorn at the front of the class.

"Whatever," he shrugged as he moved to the front of the class and took the spot that Ginny normally claimed.

"Pike what're-" Draco began to ask, turning around to see him in Ginny's spot.

Draco looked up to where Ginny sat beside Blaise and opened his mouth confused.

"It's complicated," Blaise mouthed back, as Slughorn told Draco to take a seat so class could start.

Ginny looked over at Blaise, shocked that he had covered for her.

"It's only complicated because the two of you are making it that way," Blaise said, shaking his head as he stood up and headed to the cupboard to collect the ingredients they needed for their potion.

After class, Ginny managed to duck out before Draco had finished cleaning up, and headed to the safety of ancient runes where she didn't have to face any Slytherin's.

When class let out Ginny and Hermione were walking to the great hall for lunch, Hermione filling the walk with overzealous chatter on the new runes they were learning when they were blocked by a crown gathering in the enterance of the Great Hall.

"What's going on?" Ginny asked looking at the crowd.

"Apparently two Slytherin's are having a go at each other," one first year girl whispered to her friend.

"It's Draco Malfoy and that pug faced girl," the boy behind her replied smugly.

Ginny and Hermione exchanged looks and pushed their way towards the front of the crowd.

"Come on Draco, your game is getting old, all of us Slytherin's have had our laugh, just break up with the girl already," Pansy said, her arms crossed over her chest.

"Pansy, give it a rest," Draco said, rubbing his forehead.

"Honestly Draco, I don't know how you can even stomach all the pretending," Pansy added.

The group of Slytherin girls standing behind her giggled.

Ginny and Hermione were standing right behind Draco now, Pansy's eyes met hers for a brief moment and she smirked.

"I mean, we all thought it was funny when you told us how you were going to pretend to date her," she grinned, walking closer to Draco. "I let you have your fun, but we are _betrothed_," Pansy grinned, as the crowd gasped.

Ginny felt sick, maybe she was slow on realizing that her feelings for Draco were growing into a little more than friendship. But hearing Pansy's words now was another blow to her already bruised heart.

"Besides, daddy wouldn't approve," she added, with a knowing gleam.

Ginny felt disgusted, had Draco's words last night been a lie?

"Jealousy isn't a good look on you love," Blaise said, as he stepped out of the crowed and stood beside Draco. "Besides love, you can throw the betrothed card in his face as long as you want, but not even the money daddy throws at Mr. Malfoy will get Draco to marry you," Blaise said sympathetically with a straight face.

Pansy's nostrils flared at Blaise's words, and the smirk disappeared off her face.

"I just don't want you to have nightmares from your little rebellious game with the blood traitor," she cooed, placing her hand sympathetically on his shoulder.

"Get off me," Draco said, throwing her arm away and recoiling. "I could care less what our fathers have planned for us," Draco added taking a step back.

"Save what little respect you have left and walk away Parkinson," Blaise sighed, turning away from her to face his friend.

"You know nothing about me and Ginny," Draco said.

"Mate take it easy," Blaise said his eyes meeting Ginny's.

"Why Blaise, it's already obvious," Draco said, turning to his friend.

"Not like this," Blaise said, as he met Hermione's gaze and then nodded his head towards Ginny.

"Ginny lets go," Hermione said, taking Ginny's hand, trying to pull her away.

"I love her," Draco said, the desperation in his voice ringing in the silent halls.

Soon the hall was filled with the voices of everyone in the crowd. And yet Ginny didn't hear any of it. A tidal wave of emotions washed over her, and she couldn't handle it, not here, not in front of so many people. Not when she didn't know what to believe, when Pansy's words bounced around in her head, and Blaise's cryptic messages whispered in her ears. So Ginny did the irrational thing that seemed to be a reoccurrence in her life as of late.

She turned and ran.


	9. Chapter 9

Ironically Ginny found herself in the same sport where all of this had started.

Standing in the astronomy tower, Ginny let the hash winds clear her head.

She didn't love Harry, maybe she never did, he was an idol she fix her sights on. The more she pictured seeing him with Hermione the happier she got. Hermione was one of her best friend, and Harry as far as her family was concerned was like her brother. Seeing them together made her happy, when once it would have killed her.

The feelings that swirled around inside of her for Draco were ones that she wasn't familiar with. The hurt and betrayal at Pansy's words were more intense than the feeling she felt when Dean cheated on her. She and Draco had been pretending to date for nearly a month, but even after a while it didn't feel as fake, they were just as close in private where no one could see them as they were walking down the halls and putting on a show. She trusted him in a way she had never trusted anyone else, and that scared her.

Ginny shivered and pulled her Gryffindor uniform around her tighter before she decided that maybe it was time for her to face reality, she slowly sat up and turned to make her way across the room to the stairs when she realised that she wasn't alone.

"Ginny," Draco said talking a small step towards her then stopping himself.

Ginny didn't say anything she just stood there staring at him.

"Ginny, Pansy and I, well that's just it, there is no me and her," Draco sighed running his fingers through his hair.

"Right, why should it matter anyways? It's complicated right," she whispered.

Although Ginny had spent that past fifteen minutes up here and managed not to shed a tear, now her eyes gave out.

Draco watched her, struggling with an internal battle to comfort her, and to give her space. Ginny felt uneasy under the scrutiny of his gaze, she moved to walk past him and he stepped in front of her, blocking her path.

"Get out of the way," Ginny sighed, fighting back the tears she felt coming up again.

"It shouldn't be complicated," Draco whispered.

"Fine, but it's obvious Hermione and Blaise where in on your plan the whole time," Ginny snapped, remembering their shared look.

"Hermione and Blaise? They told you?" Draco asked surprise crossing his face.

"Yeah, and if you honestly thought that what Dean did to me was bad. You have no idea what this feels like." Ginny said not bothering to stop the tears that were falling from her eyes now. "So you might as well go laugh it up with Pansy, pathetic Ginny Weasley fell for you," she said.

"Ginny, please. You don't understand I've loved you si-"Draco began.

"Stop!" Ginny roared. "Don't you get it? You win, I fell for you, and you've accomplished breaking my heart," Ginny said as she shoved her way by Draco, only to have him grab her arm and spin her around.

"Do you really believe I could do that to you," He whispered, as his warm breath dancing across her face. He leaned down and his lips came crashing down hard on hers.

Ginny froze she didn't know how to react, she didn't know what was happening, she just knew that she didn't want it to stop, and at the same time she wanted him to just leave her alone. She pushed him off hard. But he still held on to her arm.

"Ginny, I love you," Draco said as he broke away. "I have loved you for so long, and Hermione heard Blaise and I talking about it, it was her idea for me to pretend to like one of your friends. Blaise told me to just talk to you, not to bother with all the scheming. But I didn't listen how could you ever love me?" Draco began talking quickly. "But then you started dating Dean, and I had just about giving up all hope. Then one day I came up to the tower to think, and there you were, beautiful even when you were broken," Draco ranted, frantically trying to explain. "And silly me, I went and fell for you all over again only to have my heart break one more time." Draco whispered softly talking a step back from Ginny and releasing her arm. "If they already told you, then I know you don't feel the same way. But don't you dare think for one second that I ever meant to hurt you, that was always the last thing on my mind," Draco said.

Ginny stood there is shock just staring at him unable to believe the words that he had said, and before she could react, he turned and walked away.


	10. Chapter 10

Ginny sat down in the tower, with the cold wind whipping around her long red hair, as she listened to the faint sound of his retreating footsteps.

Could he be telling the truth? Surely, he would tell a lie that one conversation with Hermione could clear up, and then there was the way he would cut in whenever she was alone with Harry.

Blaise's words kept playing over in her head _'Only because you've both made it complicated. I've known Draco since we were little. He's my best mate, I know when he's pretending. And he's not.'_

No matter how Ginny thought about it, she knew that their relationship had changed. She opened up and trusted him in a way she hadn't with anyone else. He was the first person she had opened up to about Tom Riddle, and he was the only person to see her breakdown. Yet he didn't say a word to anyone, and he had been there for her in a way no one else had.

Everything that was happening was new for Ginny. She was laying down her trust and emotions in the hands of someone she once hated. Blaise and Hermione had been dropping subtle hints in their own way all along, and maybe Pansy really was just a jealous hag. Could it be that Draco had been in love with her all along?

'_If they already told you then I know you don't feel the same way. But don't you dare think for one second that I ever meant to hurt you that was always the last thing on my mind.'_

Ginny sat up quickly not knowing if she was making the right decision, not knowing if she was too late, and not knowing if she would regret this moment. Nevertheless, she stood up and took off down the hall, running recklessly, but for once, it seemed like the most rational thing she could do.

Ginny reached the bottom of the stairs and kept running through the halls in search of Draco, and ran straight into Blaise

"Ginny?" Blaise said raising an eyebrow as he took in the small red headed girl that had just crashed into him.

"Have you seen him?" Ginny asked frantically, trying to catch her breath.

"He might be in the Great Hall for lunch," Blaise said slowly.

"Lunch, right, lunch," Ginny stammered to herself.

For someone who claimed she just broke his heart he seemed to have no trouble being in a crowd of people.

"Ginny, you don't know Draco like I do. This is how he copes. You don't know how long I've had to hear him talk about you," he laughed, reassuring her, as if guessing her thoughts.

He placed his hands on her small shoulders lightly and turned her in the direction of the great hall, walking along side of her.

"If he let the heartbreak hit him all at once he'd be finished. So he pretends, even if it's just for a little while. He'll go to class, eat, and hang out with his friends like there is nothing wrong with him. Draco was raised that way, and it's not the best way to deal with it, but it's what he does. He had a bit of a rocky childhood," Blaise said smiling tightly.

"I know, he told me," Ginny responded.

He stopped walking when they reached the entrance of the great hall and turned Ginny around to face him

"Draco is my best mate, he's like a brother, we spend every summer together in Whiltshire, and trust me, he loves you. And I just hope that you can love Draco the way he loves you," Blaise said his tone serious as he regarded her.

Seeing the swarm of students in the hall, Ginny began to regret her decision to confront him now. She was about to turn around when Blaise stuck out his arm, stopping her. Ginny looked up to see his face and slowly followed his gaze to the Slytherin table straight to Draco. If Draco had seen them come in, he was doing a good job of pretending he didn't as he appeared to be absorbed in the conversation of the person beside him. Ginny took a deep breath and started towards the Slytherin table, Blaise at a much slower pace behind her. The conversation in the hall seemed to die down, as the students strained to hear the scene about to unfold.


	11. Chapter 11

All the Slytherin's looked over in her direction with amused expressions on their face as she walked down beside their table to reach Draco. If it weren't for Blaise giving her a slightly annoying reassuring push, she feared she would have turned around and ran.

It was obvious that Ginny had come in to see Draco now, and even Draco couldn't pretend otherwise, instead he watched her walk down throwing Blaise a confused look. He stood up from the table slowly and started to approach her.

Ginny no longer needed the reassurance of Blaise's presence; her heart began beating wildly and her palms began to sweat with each step she took.

Maybe she didn't love him, not yet, but the feeling she felt for him were more real than the way she felt with Dean, or the way she fantasied about Harry. She closed the gap between Draco and her in a few short strides.

She never noticed how good looking he was, or maybe she had and she just never appreciated it until now. His blond hair fell in delicate wisps, framing his face, and even through his Slytherin robes she could tell he was well built. She looked into the stormy gray of his eyes and the words started pouring out of her mouth before she could stop them.

"I didn't believe that you meant to hurt me," Ginny sighed closing her eyes. "Welll I did, but I mean I wasn't thinking, I know you Draco," Ginny said reaching out for his hand, to calm her nerves. "I trust you, and I fell for you, the things I feel when I'm around you, I can't even explain," Ginny said looking into his eyes, hopping they revealed what she couldn't put into words.

Draco didn't wait for an explanation; he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her. It was so different from their kiss in the tower. It wasn't desperation and uncertainty, it was understanding and need, and Ginny never wanted the kiss to end.

When they finally broke away, Draco placed his forehead against Ginny's lightly.

"I love you," Draco said breathlessly.

"You don't know how long I've been waiting for the two of you to get together," Blaise interrupted, breaking their moment from where he had taken up Draco's abandoned spot, and helped himself to his lunch.

The next day Ginny couldn't wipe the smile on her face as she sat with Hermione eating breakfast. For once, everything was perfect. She was dating Draco –officially, she was on top of all her homework, and there was a Hogsmeade trip coming up, nothing could bring her down.

"Any news?" Harry asked, as he slipped into the bench beside Hermione and peered over her shoulder to look at the prophet.

"Just another report of suspicious death eater behaviour in Whiltshire," she sighed, handing off the paper to him without finishing.

"That's the second time the prophet mentioned Whiltshire," Ginny said, speaking up as she regarded the pair.

"So?" Ron asked through a mouthful of eggs.

"It's odd," Ginny commented, trying to remember where she had heard the place before.

"Well they did say suspicious death eater behaviour," Ron joked taking a swing of pumpkin juice.

"What're you thinking?" Hermione asked, looking over at her as she added sugar to Harry's coffee.

"It just sounds familiar," Ginny replied, biting into her toast in thought.

"Maybe you heard your new death eater Slytherin friends mentioning it," Harry responded coldly not looking up from the prophet.

Ginny opened her mouth to reply, but saw Hermione shake her head, and decided against it.

Ginny went through her morning classes, and still couldn't place why Whiltshire seemed so familiar.

It wasn't until Defence Against the Dark Arts, when she remembered something Blaise mentioned to Draco in class one day.

'_Mate looks like I can come to Whiltshire for the holiday after all,' _

"Draco?" Ginny whispered over Snape's monotone lecture.

"Hmm?" he responded trying not to draw Snape's attention towards them.

"What's in Whiltshire?" Ginny asked, doodling on the edge of her parchment with her quill.

"It's where I grew up," he responded.

When Ginny didn't respond Draco turned and looked as her a light smile on his face.

"It's where Malfoy Manor is," he clarified.

Ginny's heart sank.

'_Maybe you heard your new death eater Slytherin friends mentioning it,'_


	12. Chapter 12

Ginny was sitting cross-legged in the middle of Draco's bed after class working on the essay Snape had assigned at the end of his class. She was staring down at the parchment with a small frown as she bite her bottom lip, and ran the grey feathered end of her quill back and forth under her chin in thought.

"You know I can help you," Draco said from across the room at his desk as he watched Ginny struggling with her essay.

Ginny looked up and gave him a death glare that clearly told him no. She wanted to work on this by herself. Draco shrugged his shoulders and turned back to his transfiguration homework for the night.

After an hour Ginny sighed and closed her book pushing her homework away from her.

"Done?" Draco grinned, hoping this meant they could spend their free time making out rather than working on homework.

"Yes, but I'm meeting Hermione to practice for Charms," she grinned apologetically.

"You mean you made me waste my free time with you doing homework?" Draco groaned.

"Well did you finish it?" Ginny asked.

Draco looked down at the homework spread out in front of him on his desk, instead of the Transfiguration essay he was supposed to be writing there were number 3's scrawled all across his parchment.

"Yea, all done," Draco smiled, shoving the papers in his book.

"Well I should go meet Hermione," Ginny said, stretching before she climbed off the bed.

"I think you're forgetting something," Draco grinned, crossing the room and pulling her close to kiss her.

"That reminds me," Ginny grinned when they pulled away. "There's a Hogsmeade trip this weekend, did you want to go?"

"Yeah, in 3 days," Draco sighed, "Sure," he added grinning, kissing her once more before they walked into the small common room

Draco and Ginny walked into the common room in search of Hermione, and stopped at the sight of a furious Hermione and a smug looking Blaise.

Hermione stood looking at Blaise with her arms crossed, and her normally bushy brown hair twice its normal size.

"Well that's hardly my fault now is it," Hermione said.

"Trust me darling, I wouldn't be here if it wasn't," Blaise said with a smirk.

"I really can't handle this, or you right now," Hermione snapped, as she turned and saw both Draco and Ginny standing their starring at them.

"Good Ginny, you're here, ready to go?" Hermione asked as both her face and posture relaxed a little.

"Yeah, let's go," Ginny said throwing a confused look at Draco.

Hermione and Ginny both left through the portrait hole leaving Draco and Blaise alone.

"What was that about mate?" Draco said as he walked over to sit in a chair by the fire.

"I'm really not sure it's hard to tell with girls," Blaise said with a sigh as he sat down in an armchair across from Draco.

Draco raised his eyebrows, but said nothing.

"So three more days mate, do you know what you're going to do?" Blaise asked.

"My father is meeting me in Hogsmeade in three days to tell me I'm taking the mark, what do you think I'm doing," Draco responded defeated.

"What about Ginny?" Blaise asked.

Draco didn't say anything, both he and Blaise had been friends since they were little, the only person who knew Draco better than Blaise was his mother. Both his mother and Blaise knew that he didn't want to take the mark. But Draco much like Blaise was taking it because of his mother. Whereas Draco hated his father, Blaise never really had one. His mother constantly remarried, adding their already large fortune in Gringotts each time. For a long time the two boys had no one to protect but their mothers. But now, Ginny was in the picture, and Blaise had every right to ask that question.

"I really don't know," Draco sighed.

He never had to think about the effect all of this would have on Ginny, because he never _really_ imagined he would ever be with Ginny.

"Why don't you just tell her?" Blaise said, making it seem like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Why? So that she can hate me?" Draco asked looking at Blaise with disgust.

"Well she'll hate you if you don't tell her," Blaise replied. "Explain it to her, make her understand why you have to do it," Blaise added.

"So I can ruin her life by making her worry about me constantly?" Draco sighed, standing up and pacing.

"Well then what are you going to do?" Blaise asked.

"I don't know, I could always break up with her? As much as it would kill me it would be better for her thinking I just don't want her, it would be safer," Draco added.

"Do you really think that would be better?" Blaise asked frustrated, had his friend learnt nothing from his scheming.

"Yeah, I can say hey Ginny I never loved you it was all a joke," Draco said laughing, even though it was far from funny. He just didn't know what to do.

"Bad time?" came a voice from behind the two boys, and they both whipped around to see Hermione and Ginny standing at the portrait hole.


	13. Chapter 13

Hermione was the one that spoke to get their attention and she stepped in front of Ginny almost as if she could block out what Draco had just said.

"Ginny forgot her wand," Hermione spoke, looking from Draco to Blaise and back again.

"Oh," Draco responded lamely, as he looked at Ginny, her expression blank.

"Well whatever you do mate, think of it quick," Blaise uttered, as he stood up from the chair. "I was right about the games before, I'm right about this," he whispered, giving Draco a reassuring pat on the back "Come on Granger, I need your help scratching an itch," he added winking as Hermione followed him out of the portrait hole.

Both Draco and Ginny stood across from each other, before Ginny crossed the room taking a seat on the couch.

Ginny looked up at him with her large brown eyes, and he couldn't do it. He couldn't break the heart of someone who would always have his. Blaise was right, he wouldn't be able to live with himself if he knew he hurt her.

Draco sat down beside her, and taking her hand in , he started from the beginning.

He told her just how scared he was, how he was trying to hold it together, how worried he was. How he always knew he would join the death eaters since that day he walked in on his father.

"It's funny I used to want to be just like him," Draco spat. "Now it's coming true, and I'd wish for any other fate," he finished.

"Run away," Ginny said, squeezing his hand. "You're still in Hogwarts, you're not even of age!" Ginny protested.

"That doesn't matter to Voldemort, it never has," Draco sighed, pulling away and running his hand through his hair.

"We'll figure something out Draco," Ginny said, reaching out for him and pulling him close.

And just like that, her lips were on his, and his hands were in her hair, and it was easy for they both to forget that in just three days Draco would receive the worst thing that could happen to him, and have to act like it was the best thing that ever happened to him.

In just three days…

In just two days…

Finally the day Draco had found so easy to push aside when Ginny was around, had arrived.

If Draco and Ginny would have had it their way they never would have left each other's side. But seeing as Hermione was head Girl she wouldn't let Ginny spend the night even if she and Draco did nothing. So instead, Ginny slept on the couch, refusing to be apart from Draco for what little freedom he had left.

Just the knowledge of Ginny in the other room brought a small smile to his lips.

When Draco was dressed he slipped out into the common room expecting to find Ginny on the couch. But instead found Hermione and Harry arguing.

"You don't even see what you're turning her into!" Harry yelled, making Hermione cringe.

"No, you don't understand Harry. You can't play the hero when no one needs saving!" Hermione yelled back tears in her eyes.

"How can you say that?! Ron and I have been your best friends for a long time. And you repay him by letting his little sister turn into a scarlet woman!" Harry yelled.

Draco froze in his spot, as if Potter thought he knew anything about Ginny.

"Best friends?" Hermione asked slowly. "What Ginny does with Draco is none of your business, and the only one who has anything bad to say about her and Draco are you and Ron. Everyone else put their differences aside," Hermione said turning away. She stopped and turned back to face him, her face perfectly blank. "And it's good to know that the last month only meant we were _best friends._I guess you snog Ron too then," Hermione added, as she turned to leave.

"I didn't just mean Draco, I saw her and Blaise sneaking off this morning on my way to see you," Harry responded, and then stopped realising what Hermione had just said. His face crumbled slowly as he took a step towards her and reached out to her. "Hermione, I'm sorry. I didn't mean that," He apologized.

But Hermione kept walking and stopped when she saw Draco standing there.

"What do you mean saw her sneaking out with Blaise?" Draco asked slowly, turning to Hermione for an explanation.

Hermione unlike Harry, had the decency to look embarrassed and mumbled something that made Harry snort.

"Why? What's wrong Malfoy, upset that your friend is using your play toy during your time slot? Weren't through with her yet?" Harry said smirking.

"Shut up Potter!" Draco retorted, pulling out his wand. "Are you really stupider than you look?"

"She figured you'd want to meet with your father alone," Hermione cut in, trying to stop a duel from occurring in the small common room. "She told me to tell you that she and Blaise would meet you later," Hermione added, looking at the ground.

Draco nodded and walked out through the portrait hole, his good mood disappearing, as he left Hermione and Harry to work out their problems.

Draco walked to the three broom sticks alone, and got a lot of suspicious looks from passersby. Probably gossipers that we're going off to tell all of Hogwarts that Draco Malfoy and Ginny Weasley had broken up. Had they? Draco wondered.

He and Ginny had already decided that they would walk to Hogsmeade together. And then he would come get her when he was done with his father. But Harry's words kept coming back to him.

'_her and Blaise sneaking off this morning'_

Draco pushed the thought from his mind. He loved Ginny, and Blaise was his best mate.

Draco nodded to Madam Rosmerta, as he passed her and continued into one of the private rooms at the back. Draco knocked once and then entered. He stopped when he saw his father sitting at the table. But he didn't stop because his father was already present. He had stopped with shock at the two people who were sitting with him.

Blaise gave Draco a look that said he really had no clue what was going on, he was just along for the ride.

However, it wasn't Blaise that Draco was focusing on. It was Ginny.

"Hello Draco," Lucius said as he gestured to the seat across from him.

Draco slowly walked across the room and sat down looking at Ginny, with masked confusion.

Ginny smirked as if she knew exactly what was going through his mind.

"Now Draco, I'm disappointed in you. From what I heard from Mr Zambini, and young Ginevra, you've been holding back on me. I'm sure your mother and I would have loved to meet your girlfriend," He said smiling coldly.

Draco said nothing just sat in his chair in confusion, he really had no idea what was going on. He did know however that the pleasantries that he was putting on were for the benefit of Blaise and Ginny.

"Well since you seemed to have forgotten how to speak dear boy, I should tell you the excellent news. You've been invited to receive the dark mark," Lucius paused taking in Draco's small smile. "And Ginny, has asked to take it with you," Lucius said smirking more broadly.

* * *

**Thank you to everyone who left so many wonderful reviews! And to everyone who Favorited this story!**  
** The sequel **_Golden Threads and Silver Needles_** is up on my page now! so be sure to check it out! :)**


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